


DragonessGem's Asagao August

by DragonessGem



Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-07-29 05:17:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 18,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20076748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonessGem/pseuds/DragonessGem
Summary: Drabbles following the prompts of Asagao August (https://saltier-than-a-pbg-in-the-ocean.tumblr.com/post/186363064901)





	1. Normal Boots

Mai glanced at her phone again, as if the message would change the 100th time she looked at it.

_ Hana [6:35 PM]: Can you stop by the Normal Boots club room? _

It was a simple enough question, but something about it made Mai uncomfortable. Nothing against the Normal Boots guys, they were all great! But being alone with them in a classroom was much different than sitting with them in a busy cafeteria.

Mai clenched her fist as she approached the classroom in question. She knew she was overthinking things, but that didn’t help the nerves stirring in her gut.

Taking a deep breath, she managed to convince herself to get things over with and rapped her trembling fist against the door.

Silence.

She knocked again, still receiving no answer. In fact, now that she looked, the light was off inside. Was this the right room?

Mai chewed her lip, debating her next course of action. She was certain this was the correct hall, but none of the other classroom lights were on either. Maybe Hana had wanted her to grab something?

She reached up and tested the doorknob. It was unlocked. Before she could overthink things anymore, she twisted the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

As soon as the door was open wide enough for Mai to enter the room, the light flicked on and she was assaulted with little bits of confetti.

“Surprise!”

Mai gawked at the scene. Her gaze slid to Hana, who had been the one to throw the confetti. “I… What’s this for?” Mai asked once she found her voice again.

Hana giggled, a radiant sound Mai would never get tired of. “Happy birthday, Mai!”

Oh. It was her birthday today, wasn’t it? “I’m surprised you remembered,” Mai murmured. No one ever did anymore.

“Of course we remembered!” PBG interjected. “You’re our friend!”

“Come on, we got cake and everything!” Hana grinned at Mai, grabbing her hand and dragging her to the center of the room.

When Hana stopped moving, Mai tugged on her arm and wrapped her in a bear hug. “Thank you so much, Hana. I love you,” Mai whispered, choking back tears she hadn’t noticed before.

“Of course, Mai. I love you too,” Hana responded, giving Mai's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

“Now, let’s have some cake!” Jirard exclaimed when the two pulled apart, brandishing a cake cutter.

Mai grinned when he handed her the cutter, instructing her to make a wish. She truly was lucky to have the friends (and girlfriend) that she did.


	2. Hidden Block

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like 3 times as long as the Normal Boots chapter. I think it's obvious which group I like better haha

“Haha, I sunk your warship,” Jimmy taunted in a singsong voice. Jeff groaned, plucking his now-sunk warship out of the board and tossing it at Jimmy.

“I don’t like playing this game with you,” Jeff muttered, glaring at the board. Jimmy had somehow sunk all of his ships before Jeff had landed a single hit.

“You’re just mad that you’re bad at Warship,” Ian mocked from across the room.

Jeff turned his glare to Ian, who was watching the two over the top of his phone. “What, like you would do any better?”

Ian just shrugged in response to the challenge, as if it was obvious that he would. Jeff stood and gestured to the board, never taking his eyes off Ian.

Ian held Jeff’s gaze as he clicked off his phone and stood himself. He sauntered forward, a self-assured smile spreading across his face.

Luke hastily stood up and stepped between the two before any literal sparks could fly into the air. “How about we play something everyone can participate in?” He suggested, giving Jeff a pleading look.

“You have any suggestions? There aren’t many 6 player board games,” Wallid pointed out from the windowsill.

“Ooh, I do!” Caddy interected. “I found a Pacheesi board that can support 6 players a little while ago. Should I go grab it?”

Jeff surveyed the room. Everyone seemed to either be nodding or ignoring him, which Jeff took to be silent acceptance. “Sure, that would be great,” Jeff supplied when it became clear that no one else was going to answer.

Caddy nodded and burst out of the classroom, sprinting down the hallway. He was apparently very eager to play this game he had found.

While Caddy was out of the room, Ian settled on the floor across from Jimmy for a round of Warship. He didn’t fare much better than Jeff had, only sinking one ship before he had lost his entire fleet.

“Don’t say a word,” Ian warned when he turned and saw Jeff’s smug look. This only caused Jeff to fall into a fit of laughter, ignoring Ian’s deepening glower.

“I’m back!” Caddy announced as he kicked the door open, startling everyone.

“You could at least give some warning before you give everyone a heart attack,” Ian remarked with his arms crossed.

“Aw, but what would be the fun in that?” Caddy asked, oblivious to the death stare Ian was shooting at him.

“Hey, how about we set the game up before you kill each other?” Jeff suggested. Those two could argue all day if given the chance, and, as entertaining as that was, they had other things to do.

Caddy set the box in the center of the room, and slowly everyone else settled on the floor in a misshapen circle.

Once the board was set up and the rules explained, everyone chose their color and set their pawns up. 

While they were rolling to decide who went first, Jeff was the only one to roll a six. “Great, my luck’s starting off strong,” he muttered as Jimmy rolled a one, securing his place as the first player.

“Hey, at least that means things can only get better!” Luke said, giving Jeff a warm smile. That wasn’t very reassuring, but Jeff appreciated the thought. Luke was adorably sincere in everything he said, and Jeff found himself smiling back despite his own doubt.

The game was fairly standard, with curses being thrown around every time someone’s pawn was squished by someone else. Jimmy got all of his pieces home first, followed closely behind by Wallid. Ian and Caddy finished in the same turn, despite how much they had been trying to sabotage each other.

Now, only Jeff and Luke remained. Jeff had only one piece left, and it sat only one space away from home. Luke’s remaining piece was all the way on the other side of the board. There was no reason Jeff should lose.

He just needed to roll a one.

Of course, his luck was not having it that night. Jeff managed to roll 2’s and 3’s fairly frequently, but 1’s were not forthcoming. He’d figured rolling two dice at a time should give him a 1 easily, but that didn’t seem to be the case.

Luke got his piece across the entire board while Jeff sat stuck. He was 5 spaces away, and it was his turn.

Luke rolled his dice. A 2 and a 3. He picked his piece and moved it 2 spaces forward, moving the corresponding die aside. He then hesitated, staring at the other die.

“Babe. Babe please. Please don’t do it,” Jeff pleaded, staring at Luke. He didn’t have to use that 3; he could end his turn then and give Jeff another chance to roll the 1 he needed. “_Please. _ I’ve been here so long…”

Luke bit his lip, staring at his pawn. Slowly, he picked up his hand and drifted it towards the die, making like he was going to push it aside and end his turn. Jeff sat back, feeling spared for at least one more turn.

Just before Luke’s fingers touched the die, he jerked his hand over and moved his piece home. Everyone sat in a stunned silence, surprised Luke had managed to pull off something so heartless.

Then Jimmy burst into raucous laughter, clapping Luke on the back. “I knew you had it in you!” He crowed. “Come on Jeff, keep going. I want to see how long it takes for you to get a 1.”

Disgruntled, Jeff picked up his dice and rolled them between his hands. Taking a deep breath, he opened his hands, letting the dice drop.

Snake eyes.

“Are you kidding me?!” Jeff exploded. “Where was that 5 turns ago?” He turned to Luke, lifting an accusatory finger. “If you had been a _ good _ boyfriend and ended your turn, I wouldn’t have been last!”

Luke gave him a pained look. “I’m sorry Jeff, but you had already been stuck there for so long. I just wanted to put you out of your misery.”

Jeff huffed and turned away, trying to ignore the laughter that was bubbling up around him. Everyone else in Hidden Block always seemed to enjoy just how much trouble his bad luck would cause him, no matter the situation.

As he was staring at the wall, a pair of arms snaked around Jeff, pulling him into an embrace. “Listen, I’m sorry, Jeff,” Luke murmured, his breath tickling Jeff’s ear. “I’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

“Mmm, you better,” Jeff warned, leaning into the embrace.

Luke planted a kiss on Jeff’s neck. Soon enough, Jeff’s pout had melted off his face, replaced with a smile filled with love.

Maybe losing was worth it, just this one time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The game is known both as Pachisi and Parcheesi so I just combined the two names.  
If you don't know it, it's kind of similar to Sorry. To start, you roll one die and whoever rolls the lowest goes first. You have 4 pawns you try to move around the board and get home. You roll two dice at a time, but you are only required to use one of your rolls to move. You can squish other people's pawns by landing on the same space, and this sends those back to the starting area.


	3. Hana

Hana scrolled mindlessly through her phone, barely processing what was on the screen. Her anticipation was overwhelming everything. The only thing she could focus on were the minutes ticking by painfully slow as the train made its way across the countryside.

Finally, once Hana had decided time was frozen and she would never arrive at her destination, the train shuddered to a stop. Hana picked up her suitcase and skipped out of the compartment. Normally she would hang back, letting the crowd of people die down, but this time she was too excited to care.

With a spring in her step, Hana wove through the streets, her destination affixed in her mind. It didn’t bother her when someone wolf-whistled at her as they drove by. It didn’t bother her when someone stumbled into her and began to curse her out as if it was her fault. It didn’t bother her when her bow got caught on a low-hanging tree branch and she had to untangle it. She had been looking forward to this day for months now; nothing was going to bother her.

She took the steps up to the entryway to the vase shop two at a time. As she approached, the door swung open, and Hana felt her heart flutter at the sight of the silhouette in the doorway. He had been waiting for her.

As soon as her feet touched the top step, Hana took off into a sprint, crashing into him. They landed in a heap on the ground inside the shop, both laughing.

“I love you so much, dad,” Hana whispered once she could breathe again.

“I love you, too,” he replied, voice muffled by Hana’s hair. “Now, do you mind getting off?”

Hana giggled and rolled off her father, allowing him to sit up. He took a moment to situate himself before grabbing Hana and pulling her into his lap.

“So, how has Asagao been?” He asked.

“It’s been great! I’ve met a lot of great people there. I joined a club, too!” Hana gestured to the Normal Boots jacket she was wearing.

Her father’s eyes shone at this statement. It was clear that he was genuinely happy that she had been doing well. As she sat there, staring into his loving eyes, Hana felt her own eyes stinging with unshed tears.

“I’ve missed you a lot, though,” she choked out as a couple tears slipped out.

“Oh, sweetheart. I’ve missed you too,” he murmured, smoothing her hair.

Hana wiped her face with the back of her hand. She didn’t like the way the mood had dampened with that statement; this was supposed to be a happy day! She began searching through her memories, looking for a way to change the subject.

“Oh! I won a video game tournament,” she boasted. Thinking about the look on Ian’s face when she had decimated his side with gray blocks still made her chest swell with pride.

Her father chuckled, despite the confusion flitting across his face. “That sounds like a lot of fun.”

Hana nestled her head into her father’s chest. “Yeah, it was.” A smile crept across her face as more memories began to surface. “I have so much to tell you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There doesn't seem to be any fics with Hana's father and that makes me kinda sad


	4. Mai

Mai wandered the outskirts of the campus, her thoughts following her meandering feet. She was reflecting on the school year so far, something she had been doing a lot more recently in the dark while her roommate slumbered beneath her.

She knew she shouldn’t be outside this late; it was past curfew and she already had one strike. But Mai wasn’t really all that worried. She was experienced at dodging the roaming guards, and Hana was staying over at PBG’s tonight, so she wouldn’t be receiving a lecture when she finally decided to return to her dorm.

A wince contorted Mai’s face as she thought of PBG. She harbored no hard feelings against the guy, truly. He was an amazing person, and it was clear that he and Hana were a perfect fit. But even knowing that, Mai couldn’t help the spike of jealousy that tore into her every time she thought of him.

With a sigh, Mai sank to her knees, running her hands through the soft grass. It was a beautiful night; she shouldn’t be wasting it worrying about things she couldn’t change.

The sky was beautiful. A couple wispy clouds floated by, drifting across a full moon and a canopy of twinkling stars. Mai leaned back and soaked the sight in, allowing her mind to go blank for a while.

Her back eventually got sore from the awkward position she was in, so she picked herself off and brushed little bits of grass off her skirt. It had gotten late enough that she probably needed to head back inside if she was going to want any sleep that night.

However, as Mai was walking back, a splash of purple caught her eye. There was a couple of asagaos clustered along the walkway, proudly demonstrating the reason they were the namesake of the school.

Crouching down, Mai pinched the stem of one of the flowers and broke it off. She repeated this a few times, until her hand was barely able to hold all of the stems.

With a satisfied hum, Mai straightened back up. She had taken enough flowers for a sizable bundle, but not so many that they would be obviously missing.

Still, she felt like she needed something else. Mai surveyed her surroundings, taking in all of the flowers until her eyes landed on a particular rose bush.

Stepping in between a couple plants along the walkway, Mai reached forward and snagged the one pink rose that was blooming. It was the perfect fit, the exact same color as Hana’s hair.

There was a red ribbon somewhere in her room. She could use that to tie the flowers together.

Mai smiled to herself as she inspected the rough bouquet in her hands. Maybe she couldn’t have Hana’s love, but she didn’t need that. She would be the absolute best friend the pink-haired girl could ever ask for, instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little sadder than the previous chapters, but I think it's still kinda cute


	5. PBG

PBG leaned forward, fingers flying over his controller. He was sitting alone in his dorm, playing Stomp against computer players. He had officially gotten tired of being known as the worst Stomp player of Normal Boots, and had taken his time alone to practice.

He hit down+b, summoning a lightning bolt and knocking the nearby Turbie off the stage. He grit his teeth as Captain Hawk ran forward, then paused and drew back his fist, exclaiming “HAWK PUNCH” as if it wasn’t clear he was about to punch.

Even though he knew what to expect, PBG still hadn’t quite figured out how to dodge the attack. The fist connected with his Pikachomp, launching the yellow fluff off the stage. PBG let out a soft curse as he disappeared off the edge of the screen and the announcer called game.

Leaning back, PBG tossed the controller onto his table and let out a sigh. He was getting better with each time he played, but the slow progress didn’t seem worth the hours he had been putting into the game.

Still, the Captain Hawk posing on the screen taunted him, telling him he would never be good enough. PBG groaned, trying to resist the urge, but he just couldn’t stand how right the taunt was. He was _ awful _ at video games. It was his number one goal to change that.

PBG snatched the controller off the table, starting a new game. It took almost an hour, but he finally managed to defeat all three of the opponents he set up for himself.

Pikachomp dashed across the stage, leaving a trail of lightning in his wake. He struck a pose, staring straight into the camera with lightning sparking from his cheeks. The other three players sat on the side, seeming to be sulking despite the fact that they were clapping.

It was a small thing, but PBG felt a thrill of pride course through his body as he stared into the defiant eyes of his Pikachomp. He had _ won_. Sure, it had just been against some AIs, but that didn’t matter in the moment. He had won a Stomp match against some of his least favorite opponents.

PBG picked up his phone, sending a quick message to the Normal Boots group chat challenging them to a Stomp tournament. He knew he probably wasn’t good enough to win the entire thing, but he felt confident he would do better than normal.

With a satisfied hum, PBG set the controller back down. It had gotten late into the night, so he quickly changed and climbed into bed. He left the TV on, though. It would be a while before he was willing to erase the first win he had ever gotten against a group of players.

With the sound of cheering filling the room, PBG quickly fell into a deep, satisfying sleep.


	6. PBG's Route

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set after “The Injury”, when PBG breaks his leg during a soccer game

Hana rapped her knuckles softly on the door. She hadn’t seen PBG since she left him in the nurse’s office, so she was hoping to see how he was holding up. She also just wanted to spend some time alone with him, but that wasn’t something she would ever admit to herself.

“Go away,” came from inside.

“It’s Hana,” she offered, hoping that would convince PBG to let her in. She knew he didn’t want anyone seeing him in his current state, but maybe he would make an exception for his childhood friend.

There was a bit of shuffling on the other side of the door, and then it opened a crack. Not exactly what Hana had been hoping for, but it was at least a start.

“What do you want?” PBG’s was gruff, bordering on unfriendly. Hana tried not to get too upset over his standoffishness; she knew he was just trying to hide his vulnerability.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing. And I brought cookies!” Hana beamed, holding out the plastic container of cookies.

The door opened a little more until PBG’s face was visible. He looked exhausted, his eyes puffy and his face pale. Hana was about to make a comment, but PBG shuffled away from the door before she could say anything.

Hana figured that the still open door was an invitation, so she pushed her way into the room and gently closed the door behind her. She placed the container on the table in the middle of the room, then took a minute to survey the state of things.

The room was an absolute mess. Even though the room was relatively dark with the curtains being drawn, Hana could still make out a pile of papers on PBG’s desk and a couple clothes tossed haphazardly on the floor.

“You know, you might feel a little better if you actually let some sun in here,” Hana scolded lightheartedly, taking a step towards the window.

Before Hana could get very far, PBG shot his hand out, grabbing her wrist. “Please… I don’t want anyone to accidentally see me like this.” His voice was pained, and he was giving her an equally pinched look.

Hana returned his gaze, concern etched into her face, but she relented. “If you’re that worried about it, I’ll leave it be,” she conceded. “But we should at least turn on your light.”

PBG nodded, letting go of her wrist and flopping back onto his bed. Hana flipped the light switch, flooding the room with light that PBG probably hadn’t encountered for a decent while. She took advantage of him squeezing his eyes shut by skipping over and plopping onto his bed, probably much closer to him than PBG would have otherwise let her get.

“You want to play some Stomp?” Hana suggested.

PBG gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Sure. I’d like that.”

As they played, PBG seemed to relax, likely for the first time since the accident. At one point, Hana insisted he stop going easy on her, to which he retorted “Are you saying I’m bad?” It wasn’t much, but Hana appreciated the little bit of humor she was able to coax out of him.

During one match, PBG’s Pikachomp began continually running to the left, falling off the stage over and over. Hana glanced at PBG, about to ask what was up, when she noticed he had drifted off. His thumb was pushing the joystick to the left, and his chin had sunken into his chest.

Hana smiled to herself. PBG seemed so peaceful when he was asleep. She quietly stood from his bed and extricated his controller from his hand, placing it on the table. She grabbed his shoulders and gently shifted him until he was lying down, then pulled his blanket up over his shoulder. PBG let out a couple murmurs as she moved him, but luckily he never stirred.

With one last contented look at PBG’s calm countenance, Hana scooped up the now empty cookie container and flicked off the light switch. She let herself out of the room as inconspicuous as she could, pulling the door closed very slowly until she heard the soft click of the latch.

“I hope you feel better soon,” Hana whispered to the door. She turned away and walked with a spring in her step back to her dorm, her own spirits lifted from a time well spent.


	7. Jirard

Jirard wandered the room, for once not looking for anything in particular. Usually when he came to conventions he had a particular goal in mind, but this time he had decided to take it easy and just enjoy his time. He was curious how different the experience would be when he wasn’t encumbered by his tunnel vision.

Surveying his surroundings, Jirard could understand why these conventions could be overwhelming for some. The crowd was massive, and, despite the security trying to keep things running smoothly, everything still seemed pretty hectic.

There was one small table in the corner of the room that didn’t seem to be gaining much attention. Whether that was due to its location or simply a lack of interest Jirard didn’t know, but either way it caught his interest.

Years of experience served Jirard well, and he made his way over to the table with relative ease. The girl sitting behind the table gave him a tight smile, but otherwise her attention was focused on the rest of the chaos happening behind him.

Not that it bothered him. Jirard didn’t mind making small talk with the people at tables, but he was okay with not being harassed to buy everything that was being sold.

It was a fairly standard table for a gaming convention, just some old video game cartridges and boxes laid out in a haphazard order. Jirard was about to leave when a familiar blue robot caught his eye.

“Hey, is that Ultra Man 5?” Jirard asked, gesturing to the box. If it was, that was a pretty good find; the game was rare, and it was the only one in the series he didn’t yet own.

The girl gave him an uninterested look. “Why don’t you pick it up and see for yourself?” She retorted.

Okay, he was getting a little annoyed now.

He followed her instructions, picking up the box and scrutinizing it. Sure enough, the text read exactly what he had been expecting.

“How much for this?” He asked, trying to keep his voice nonchalant. Jirard figured by the way she was acting, this girl knew nothing of its worth. He intended to keep it that way.

“2000 yen,” she deadpanned, not even looking at him. Jirard was lucky for that; he would not have been able to hide the surprise on his face. This game was easily worth 5 times that, especially since it seemed to still be in its original box.

He easily pulled out and handed over the asking price, which the girl graciously accepted. Jirard could have felt a bit miffed at the lack of attention he was being offered, but he didn’t really care anymore.

Jirard clutched his new prize to his chest, suddenly very glad he had changed his normal convention going ways this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ultra Man 5 is a reference to Mega Man 5, which is a rare and expensive NES game.


	8. Jirard's Route

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set after “Completion Bonus”, when Hana gives Jirard Princess Pumpernickel for his birthday

“So, now that you’ve completed your Itty Bitty Kitty collection, what else are you going to collect?”

The question caught Jirard off guard. He had been sitting on his bed, admiring the Princess Pumpernickel he still was having a hard time believing was sitting in his hand, when Hana had interrupted his thoughts. She was the only other one in the room, since everyone else had left to give them time alone, and briefly Jirard wondered if she was getting bored.

“Actually, I think I already have everything I could ever want,” he remarked, giving Hana a meaningful look.

She ducked her head and glanced away. Jirard smiled at the flush in her cheeks, ignoring his own rising body temperature.

He stood and placed the figurine on his shelf (on top of a little pedestal Shane had made, despite his insistence that he disliked Jirard’s collection), then turned to face Hana. She was watching him with that curious look that never failed to lighten his mood.

“You know, I hadn’t really thought about that,” he finally admitted, tapping his lip. “I’ve been so focused on getting Princess Pumpernickel that I never considered what I would do once I actually had her.” He laughed with a trace of bitterness. “To be honest, I didn’t really think I  _ would  _ find her.”

Hana’s eyes widened at that statement, but if she noticed the resentment tinging his voice, she didn’t mention it. “Surely there must be something, though,” she insisted.

Jirard shrugged. “Not really. Nothing else has really caught my interest.” He crossed the room, settling on the floor next to Hana. “What about you? Anything you’ve ever wanted to collect?”

“I don’t know… I’ve only ever wanted to collect simple things, like rocks or seashells.” Hana’s faced flickered. Was that concern? Fear? “Those aren’t really things you can ‘complete’.” She emphasized the final word with air quotes.

Jirard couldn’t help but chuckle. She was so adorable sometimes. “Really, I’m just a collector,” he assured her. “I only got the nickname ‘Completionist’ because most of my collecting comes in the form of video game achievements, which tend to have an end. It’s just easier to say that I’ve completed a game rather than that I collected everything in it.”

Hana’s mouth twisted with discontent, looking unconvinced. “Okay, but my things are still pretty boring. Who collects rocks?”

Jirard nudged her shoulder with his own as he donned a smile he hoped was reassuring. “I don’t think those things are boring.” He pushed himself off the ground, walking a couple paces away before turning back to face his girlfriend. “In fact, I think they’re pretty cool! Don’t put your interest down just because you don’t see anyone else doing them.” He crossed his arms and leaned forward, as if he was telling a secret. “In fact, I would say that makes them even  _ more _ cool,” he stage-whispered.

Hana stared at him with wide eyes. “You really think so?”

“What do you say?” Jirard asked, offering his hand. “Want to go start a new collection?”


	9. Shane

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nightmares and Trauma and Pain, oh my! (That was a trigger warning if you couldn’t tell haha)

Everything was dark.

Shane wasn’t sure whether he had his eyes shut, there was a piece of cloth over his face, or he had simply gone blind, but it didn’t really matter anyway. He had a feeling the darkness was preferable to seeing whatever was around him.

The buzz in his ears faded enough that he could make out the sound of someone yelling. The words were garbled, but the intent behind them was enough to give Shane a jolt of fear. He suddenly had a primal need to move, to get away from there, but found he was rooted to the spot. Panic clawed at Shane’s throat as his brain fought against his body in a fruitless effort to gain control.

This was certainly not ideal.

A sharp pain dug into his side, apparently startling his system enough to return some of his vision. Shane looked down, wincing at the dark stain spreading across his shirt. He wasn’t sure where the wound came from, since a quick glance around the room revealed no other people nearby.

Shane brought a hand up, applying some pressure to his side. It hurt, but he had learned by now that this was better than just leaving it alone.

As his mind raced, trying to decide his next course of action now that he could move, a flash of pink caught Shane’s eye. This sent his heart pounding ever harder than it had been before, and he couldn’t tell whether it was a positive or negative response.

She came closer, taking steps that felt both too big and too small. Shane avoided looking at her, instead focusing on the blood that was pooling under his hand. She brushed a hand against his, and he couldn’t stop himself from raising his eyes in response.

As soon as his eyes landed on her face, Shane was filled with an overwhelming mix of emotions. Even knowing what to expect, this still somehow came as a surprise, and he felt like the floor was disappearing beneath him.

And then he was falling.

* * *

He woke to the sound of screaming. It took him a few seconds to register that the sound had come from his own mouth, he was so frazzled and disoriented.

“Hey, are you okay?” The question barely got through the sound of rushing blood in Shane’s ears. It did still help him, though, giving him something to latch onto and begin grounding himself.

He was laying in bed. He was in his room. He was at Asagao. His roommate, Jirard, was currently awake and trying to make sure he was okay. He had many other friends close by, if he happened to need them.

He was safe.

Shane wiped a hand gently across his face, warmed by the support Jirard was offering even despite the fear still gripping his heart. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he whispered, hoping that was enough. Technically, it was a lie. But maybe, with enough support from his friends, one day it wouldn’t be.


	10. Shane's Route

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set after “Whispers of the Past”, when Hana learns about Emily

“Are you sure about this?” Mai asked, giving Hana a concerned look. “I figured if you ever dyed your hair, you’d do something natural.”

Hana shrugged. “I have my reasons,” she stated, unwilling to elaborate any further. Mai did have a point - Hana actually had considered dying her hair brown before. But at this point, she figured she would never be able to entirely fit in anyway, and something told her it wouldn’t even work anyways.

Mai sighed. “I won’t pretend to understand what those reasons are, but no matter how this turns out, I’ll still support you.”

Hana shot Mai a grateful smile as the redhead slipped the latex gloves onto her hands. Hana didn’t trust herself with the dye, and she was incredibly thankful that Mai had been willing to help her out.

Mai worked efficiently, and soon Hana’s hair was covered in blue. It was almost surreal, looking in the mirror and seeing blue when she had seen pink for as long as she could remember. She hadn’t even seen it dry yet, but she could already tell this new hair would take some getting used to.

But Hana could worry about that later. For now, she had to let the dye sit, then wash it out and put in a color protector. She hadn’t realized how much effort would be going in to just change the color of her hair.

An hour later, Hana was brushing her freshly dry hair and admiring it in the mirror. The blue had turned out much darker than she had been expecting, but she didn’t mind. It was a nice shift from the bright pink she was used to.

Now, it was time to show it off.

Mai had left a while ago for volleyball practice, so she hadn’t actually seen the finished product. Hana was secretly glad for this; there was only one person she wanted to see her right now.

One quick journey across the campus later, Hana was knocking on the door to Shane’s bedroom.

“Jirard’s not here, come back later,” came the gruff reply.

Hana stifled a giggle behind her hand. She had a feeling Shane wouldn’t appreciate what he would likely interpret as mockery. “I’m here for you, Shane,” she called.

The door swung open, and an annoyed looking Shane scrutinized the person standing in front of him. At first, a frown twisted his features, but it didn’t take long for his face to transform to a look of surprise. “Your hair!” He blustered, staring at Hana with wide eyes.

Hana grinned. “You like it?” She asked, flaring it out with her hands.

“I do... But why?” Shane tentatively grabbed a lock of her hair in his fingers, rubbing it as if he wasn’t sure that it was real.

Hana shrugged. “I’ve never really liked it as pink anyway, and when it became clear it would make you uncomfortable, I wanted to change it even more.” She winked. “And your favorite color is blue, so this color seemed perfect.”

Shane let out a quick laugh, startling the both of them. “I’m surprised you even remember me mentioning my favorite color.”

“You are one of the most important people to me, Shane. I want to remember everything important to you,” Hana admitted, her eyebrows furrowing.

Shane reached out and pulled Hana forward, wrapping her in a tight hug. She let out a startled squeak, but otherwise didn’t complain. “You have no idea how much that means to me,” Shane murmured into her hair.

Hana just closed her eyes and melted into the embrace.


	11. Paul

Paul tapped his pencil on his desk, hoping the sound would help him focus. The silence in the room was deafening. He was used to the noise his two boyfriends made, and without that he found it nearly impossible to focus.

He was still a little upset at them for leaving him alone while he worked. Paul always left his assignments to the last minute; they should have planned around that! And they were going to his favorite restaurant, no less.

Sighing, Paul pushed himself away from his desk and began pacing around the room. Why were essays so hard to write? He already had all of the information he needed. It was just a matter of organizing everything and adding a couple flowery words for some extra flare.

It was a problem, really. He would come up with the perfect sentence in mind, but as soon as his pencil hit the paper, the words alluded him. It never ceased to amaze Paul just how little his brain ever wanted to work with him.

The sound of voices in the hallway broke through Paul’s thoughts, and he scrambled back to his chair and picked up his pencil. He knew he would never hear the end of it if Nick caught him not working.

The door to the room was slammed open without warning, causing Paul to flinch and draw a long line across his paper. Luckily, he didn’t mark over anything already written, but that didn’t stop him from whipping around to glare at his roommates.

He was about to retort when a familiar smell filled his nostrils. “Is that-”

Josh grinned, holding out a styrofoam box. “We brought you some take out!”

Paul held his hands out, grabbing at the air. Josh stepped forward, but Nick intercepted him and fixed Paul with a glare. “Did you finish your essay?” Nick asked, the look on his face saying he already knew Paul hadn’t. Paul pouted, but didn’t say anything.

“Right. No food until you finish your homework,” Josh lightly scolded, setting the box down on the table in the center of the room.

Paul huffed and turned back to his paper. As soon as his face was turned away, however, the frown melted off his face. Now that the two were back, he found the words naturally flowing to him.

With the sound of bickering and the smell of food surrounding him, Paul wrote the best essay of his life.


	12. Nick

Nick paced through the city, glaring at every single shop he passed by. None of them were good. Tomorrow was a special day; he needed a place that was _ perfect_, and none of these were.

After all, it wasn't often people were able to celebrate anniversaries with even one partner. Somehow, Nick had two, which made getting the perfect anniversary present all the more important to him.

So caught up in his thoughts, Nick didn't notice the dead end until he nearly slammed into a looming concrete wall. Shaking his head, Nick was about to turn and go back when a small door tucked in the corner caught his eye.

Figuring there was no harm in just looking, Nick pushed the door open and entered.

The first thing he noticed was just how small the place was. It felt only a little bigger than his dorm, and Asagao wasn't exactly known for its spacious rooms.

However, something about it felt charming. Maybe it was the faint smell of roses in the air, maybe it was the old lights gently flickering, maybe it was just the fact that it was devoid of all other people. Whatever it was, Nick felt inclined to stay.

It was a craft store, judging by the beads and string Nick could see littering the shelves. He wandered the store, perusing his options, when his eyes snagged on one oddly shaped bead. It made his heart leap. 

Nick quickly picked up three of the beads, also grabbing a collection of letter beads nearby. He also managed to find some tiny hearts of varying colors.

Lastly, Nick chose a sturdy looking leather cord. He dumped his selection on the checkout counter, smiling at the cashier despite the judgemental look she shot him. 

Nick returned to his dorm quickly, anticipation buzzing through him. Luckily, his roommates were currently out, so he didn't have to worry about hiding anything.

He laid out the cord on the table, taking scissors out of a drawer and snipping it into thirds. He pulled the assortment of beads he had purchased and began methodically sliding them on. He tied a knot on either side of the bead grouping, then took the ends of the cord and tied those together as well.

Soon, Nick had three bracelets sitting in front of him. He picked one up, admiring it up close.

He had used the letter beads to spell out the word "Continue" on each bracelet. In between each letter was a heart (each of those a different color). At the end of the word was the bead Nick felt was most important - a small newspaper.

Nick smiled to himself. The bracelets weren't the neatest, but that didn't matter to him. They were exactly what he had wanted, whether he had realized this at first or not.

  
They were _ perfect_.


	13. Josh

The dark was suffocating.

Josh should have known better than to watch a scary movie in the middle of the night. Despite the tough act he tried to put on in front of everyone, he was actually really jumpy. His pride had gotten the better of him, though; when Paul asked if he wanted to watch Ghost Activity 2, Josh had immediately said yes.

Now, 3 hours later, Josh was laying in bed as still as he could. He figured if he didn't move, nothing would want to attack him. But that didn't stop the nerves bubbling up, causing him to occasionally twitch and let out a loud breath. 

Every little shadow could be a threat. Even though he knew he was staring at the backs of his eyelids, Josh couldn't stop turning every shift of light, every dark spot, every splash of color into some monstrous creature that was watching him. 

Josh groaned in frustration. Although his body was still, his mind was racing. He was getting annoyed at how much he was overthinking things.

"You alright there?" Paul's sleepy voice broke into Josh's thoughts.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Josh whispered, wincing at the tremor in his voice. "Why are you awake?"

"You're making so much noise we can't sleep," Nick complained.

Oh. Had he really been that loud? That was the opposite of his intentions. Every noise was dangerous in this situation.

"What's bothering you?" Paul asked, his voice soft.

"Nothing. I'm fine," Josh growled back, a little harsher than he meant. The fact that he still hadn't moved proved his statement false.

A sudden weight fell on Josh, causing him to yelp and snap his eyes wide open. He shifted, scrambling to throw off whatever was attacking him.

He settled back down when he could make out the sleepy smile on Paul's face. "That's a lie and you know it," Paul murmured, slowly brushing his fingers along Josh's face.

Josh blew out a breath, which gently ruffled the hairs hanging in front of Paul's face. "I don't want to talk about it," he muttered.

Paul rolled off Josh, curling into his side. "Okay, but I'm not leaving."

Nick snorted. "You guys are so gay," he accused, but he was already climbing in and settling on Josh's other side.

The bed was a bit small for the three of them, but Josh didn't mind. With a comfortable warmth enveloping him, Josh slipped easily into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ghost Activity 2 is Paranormal Activity 2 lol


	14. Continue's Route

Was this really the best course of action?

Sure, Paul had shattered her heart and didn’t even seem to feel bad about it. But Hana still couldn’t help but feel like she was being petty. It wasn’t really Paul’s fault that he was so clueless, and despite the heartache, she still harbored feelings for him.

Hana shook her head, banishing her doubts. She was already standing right outside the dorm; she should probably just get it over with. Besides, she didn’t even know if he would accept her, and if he didn’t she would just go to Paul’s dorm to demand an apology. Or something. She would figure it out if things came to that.

She lifted her hand and rapped it quickly against the door before any more doubts filtered into her mind. The silence stretched on long enough that Hana began to worry no one was inside, but finally the door swung open.

“What the hell do you want?” Ian demanded with a scowl.

“Um, is Jeff there?” Hana asked, trying not to allow herself to be intimidated.

“Oh, is that Hana?” A hand appeared on the door behind Ian, and it was opened up enough to reveal Jeff’s face. “Hey there, how’s it going?” He asked as he gently pushed Ian aside.

Her mind went blank as she stared into Jeff’s bright smile. How was he always so friendly? “I was hoping to talk to you,” she managed to get out.

Jeff glanced uncertainly at Ian. “Alone?”

To be honest, Hana probably would have preferred to do this without Ian glaring at her the entire time, but he was Jeff’s campaign manager. It was probably better if he stayed. “Actually, it’s fine is he’s here.”

This seemed to startle Ian, as his face softened slightly and he stepped aside enough for her to step inside. Hana brushed her way past him, then turned and clasped her hands behind her back.

Ian raised an eyebrow, a gesture Hana knew was him telling her to get on with it. Hana cleared her throat awkwardly, finding the floor much more interesting than the two boys standing in front of her. “So… I was wondering…” She winced at how uncertain her voice sounded. “Can I join your campaign?”

Immediately, Ian burst into scornful laughter. “And why would you want to do that?”

Hana twisted her toe into the ground, her ears burning. An image of Paul’s face after she asked him to kiss her flashed into her mind, and she was filled with a new burst of confidence. “Let’s just say that spending so much time with Paul was… enlightening.” She kept her response vague, hoping neither of them would want to push her about the situation.

Jeff snorted. “That seems about right.” He beamed. “Well, if Ian’s okay with it, I’ll be happy to welcome you to the team!”

Ian was still giving Hana a cynical look, but he seemed to understand what she was getting at. “I guess she can help out. For now,” he muttered.

Jeff stepped forward and scooped Hana up, spinning her around. “Welcome to the team!” He congratulated after setting her back down.

Hana felt her heart flutter as she stared into Jeff’s bright eyes. Even Ian had a soft smile on his face in response to Jeff’s outburst. The dynamic and energy in the room easily convinced Hana she had made the correct choice.

She could get used to this.


	15. Ian

Ian was sad.

Not that that was unusual. He found himself getting down more often than was probably healthy, and even small things could have a major impact on his mood.

But something about this sadness felt different. Ian couldn't quite put his finger on it, but there seemed to be a sort of hollowness he wasn't used to this time.

Ian laid his head against the tree, staring at the clouds floating overhead. He wished he could join them, flying thousands of feet in the air without a care. It was frustrating. This time, not even his alone time at the tree was helping.

As he sat against the tree, lost in thought, Ian came to a sudden realization. This time felt different because there was absolutely no reason for it. Normally, he could point to at least something that was affecting him, but right now he just felt empty.

Annoyed, Ian began to mentally berate himself. There was no point to this! He was doing great! He was doing well in class, he had a great group of friends, he even had a supportive boyfriend. This should be one of the best days of Ian’s life, and yet he was isolating himself and on the verge of bursting into tears.

With a sigh, Ian pushed himself up and stretched his back. He had been gone long enough that someone would probably come looking for him, and by this point everyone knew of his tree hideout. He needed to find a new spot if he wanted to maximize his alone time.

Briefly, Ian considered just returning to his dorm. Caddy was likely still there, and he would be supportive, comforting presence. After all, that’s what boyfriends were meant for, right?

But he quickly discounted the thought. Ian still couldn’t help but feel guilty sharing his problems with someone else. He knew Caddy wouldn’t mind, but that didn’t help the knots in his stomach. He was still too used to surviving entirely on his own, with no one else to look after him.

Eventually, Ian found himself outside his classroom. It was after school hours, so there likely wouldn’t be anyone else inside. Figuring there wasn’t a much better spot, he pushed the door open and entered.

Shane was inside, working on something in his sketchbook. Ian faltered, not wanting to intrude and also not wanting to get into conversation, but Shane barely gave him a passing glance before returning to the sketchbook.

Ian sank into his desk, folding his arms into a makeshift support and laying his head down. If anyone else happened to find him here, he could probably make up some excuse about waiting for Shizuka to ask about extra credit.

For now, he would just lay here and get lost in his thoughts.


	16. Luke

Tomorrow was Valentine’s Day.

No one in Hidden Block was dating anyone (although there was a good amount of pining between a few members). But Luke figured that didn’t have to stop him from showing his affection to his 5 closest friends.

Luke shook his arms out, trying to return some feeling to them. He had carried a _ lot _ of things into the clubroom. Taking a deep breath, he surveyed everything before him, trying to figure out a plan of attack.

He quickly got to work, unpacking ribbon, confetti, streamers, and the like. It was already a mess just taking everything out of the boxes, but Luke was determined to absolutely _ cover _ the room. It would look like a tornado of love had torn through there once he was done.

There was no rhyme or reason to what Luke was doing. He stood on one side of the room and threw rolls of ribbon as hard as he could at the opposite wall. He grabbed large handfuls of confetti and tossed them in a cascade of colors at his feet. He slapped random posters on the wall, all askew and covered in an almost sickly amount of sticker hearts.

Finally, the room was sufficiently covered in pink, white, and red decorations. All that was left was the overwhelming amount of chocolate and other candy Luke had bought for the occasion.

He piled a few oversized bags on each of the desks in the room, placing a little decorated card on each pile. He had written overly sappy letters for each member of Hidden Block, and imagining each person’s reaction to their specialized message filled Luke with a thrill of anticipation.

Finally, Luke stacked the leftover boxes together into a small chair facing the entrance. It made some unsettling noises with too much weight, but it worked well enough.

Clapping his hands together, Luke surveyed his work.

It was _ glorious_.

There wasn’t a single inch of floor visible beneath the utter catastrophe that had been unleashed. The walls were filled with cheesy romantic posters and brightly colored stickers. Even the ceiling had a few things hanging from it. If his friends didn’t already hate Valentine’s day, they certainly would now.

All in all, Luke was pretty satisfied.

With a smile, Luke settled himself into his makeshift throne. Now, he just had to wait.


	17. Jeff

It was the sound of his own stomach growling that woke Jeff up.

He had intended to only rest his eyes for a short while, but judging by the stars twinkling outside his window, he had fallen asleep for much longer than that.

Jeff wanted nothing more than to roll over and slip back out of consciousness, but his stomach refused to allow him such luxury. It rumbled again, so loud that he was almost worried about it being heard by others throughout the hall. Luckily, Ian didn’t seem to be in the room at the moment, so Jeff didn’t have to worry about his scolding.

Not that he didn’t deserve it. Jeff was most definitely overworking himself, as proven by the fact that he didn’t even have control over his sleep schedule anymore. He could almost hear Ian’s voice, once again telling him to “chill out”.

His stomach began to complain once again, so Jeff sighed and rolled out of bed. He poked at his hair a bit to make it more presentable, trying to ignore the sunken eyes staring at him from the mirror. It wasn’t like he could remove anything from his busy schedule; they were all equally important to him.

Living up to expectations mattered more than his health.

Pushing the thought aside (he would never hear the end of it if Ian ever found out he had been thinking like that), Jeff finally was satisfied with his appearance and stepped out of his room. By this time, most food places on campus were probably closed, but he could probably find a vending machine or something to get a snack at.

Luckily, Jeff didn’t pass anyone he knew as he wandered the campus. The thought of interacting with other human beings in his current state made his stomach hurt more than the hunger did. Especially since they would likely point out just how disheveled he currently looked.

Eventually, Jeff came across an unopened bag of chips. He probably should have stopped to consider where it had come from or something, but in that moment he didn’t care. He picked it up reverently, already beginning to salivate.

Before he could dwell too much on the impact just a bag of chips had just had on him, Jeff opened his prize and devoured its contents. It was then that he realized he hadn’t eaten anything since lunch the day before, having been so caught up in writing campaign speeches.

Ian was definitely going to kill him.

That realization slowed Jeff’s steps as he made his way back to his room. Maybe if he took long enough, Ian would already be asleep by the time he returned.

Resigning himself to his fate, Jeff gently opened the door.

No such luck.

Ian was leaning against the bedframe with his arms crossed, a piece of paper in his hand. As soon as Jeff stepped inside, Ian lifted his hand threateningly, already launching into a speech about Jeff overworking himself.

Jeff just let it wash over him. He appreciated the thought, but he was too tired to really care in that moment. As soon as the storm passed, Jeff murmured his assent and climbed into bed, hoping to catch up on a bit more rest.

He could worry about his problems later.


	18. Jimmy

Jimmy was going to be _ fabulous_.

He wasn't sure where the idea came from, but it had stuck with him for a few days now. It was time for a new makeover.

There was no clear order to changing his entire appearance, so Jimmy figured he should probably start small. 

That was how he had ended up in a nail parlor, chatting amicably with one of the workers. Already she had given him multiple compliments, praising him on strong nails and soft hands. 

She had steady, sure hands, and Jimmy was surprised at how well she recreated the block on his jacket onto his fingernails. Soon, all of his fingers had a Hidden Block logo drawn on a white background, and his feet were painted gold.

Staring at the design with wide eyes, Jimmy admired how nice it looked on his fingers. He was sure to give a generous tip before leaving the salon.

Next up: hair.

It was a toss up how Jimmy's new best friend would react to the change he was planning. He hoped it would give her some new confidence, but it was also possible she would just say he was stealing her look.

It was too late to change his mind though: as soon as the doubts filtered into Jimmy's mind, the stylist began putting dye into his hair. 

Once that was done, Jimmy's hair was an obnoxious shade of hot pink. It was even more eye-catching than Hana's.

It was perfect. 

Finally, Jimmy made his way over to a clothing store. He wasn't quite sure what would be the biggest change, so he decided to pick out some dark clothes to offset the beacon that was now on his head.

He picked out a long sleeve shirt with skulls printed on it, along with a pair of ripped black jeans. It was the opposite of the bright, flowery clothes he was currently wearing.

As he paid for his selection, Jimmy couldn't help but giggle to himself. He had a feeling the clothes would elicit the strongest reaction from his friends.

Luckily, Wallid was out of the room when Jimmy returned, so he was able to change without any comments. Yet.

Jimmy preened in front of the bathroom mirror, admiring his new form. He looked pretty amazing if he did say so himself.

He couldn't wait to see the reactions of everyone else.


	19. Wallid

Today was going to be a bad day. 

That was Wallid's first thought when he opened the door to his classroom and a few flies buzzed past him. No one else seemed like they were being bothered, so Wallid figured it was some sort of omen.

Still, he tried to shrug it off, calmly walking to his seat and setting his stuff down. Nothing too out of the ordinary seemed to be happening yet, so Wallid pulled out a pencil and his notebook, ready for another boring day of class.

He was unlucky.

That was Wallid's second thought when the teacher decided to open the window and a fly immediately flew in and landed on the tip of his pencil. He waved a hand at it, trying to scare it away, but it was persistent.

Someone else had an open can of soda, but the fly seemed to have decided it wanted to bother Wallid. Annoyed, he grabbed it out of the air, crushing it in his hand. He tossed it at the trash can, figuring that to be the end of things.

He was cursed.

That was Wallid’s third thought when he walked out of the classroom and was hit square in the face by a fly. He was hardly the first to leave, so the thing must have been waiting specifically for him to walk by. 

With a sigh, Wallid brushed it off his face and continued walking. Maybe he shouldn't have killed the other one.

He had angered some fly god.

That was Wallid's fourth thought when he walked into his room and found a few flies crawling on his bed's headboard. They were leaving Jimmy's side of the room alone, only interested in bothering Wallid.

He was getting tired of dealing with these bugs. He grabbed a book off his desk and slammed it down, crushing all three flies in one motion.

He just smelled bad.

That was Wallid’s fifth and final thought when he opened his closet to find a fly crawling on one of his shirts. Really, he didn’t; the entire school was dealing with a fly infestation that day. But that seemed to be the only logical conclusion left after encountering flies on five separate occasions.

He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration, then brought his hand to his nose as an afterthought. It didn't smell bad to him.

But the flies had spoken. Wallid picked up a can of body spray nearby and doused himself in it. Maybe it was a bit much, but if it would keep the bugs away, it was worth it.


	20. Caddy

Caddy ran his fingers along the cool metal of Salvage. He wasn’t entirely sure what had prompted him to pull out his two guns, but they were here now, laying out on his desk where anyone could potentially see them.

Sometimes Caddy wondered what his friends thought of them. No one ever complained (they all knew he only ever used them on games), but he couldn’t help but worry that some of them saw him as a violent person. Especially considering how much he instigated arguments with Ian.

He knew it was risky to have the weapons on campus. If Caddy was caught with them, it was likely he would at least be expelled, and potentially arrested if he did anything too stupid.

With how much his opinions seemed to be fluctuating, Caddy wondered if it was even worth it anymore to keep them around. There were some games he had Slaughtered before that he had later fallen in love with and wished he had Salvaged. Even putting a bullet in a game no longer brought him a sense of finality.

Caddy reached into his backpack and pulled out a small hammer which he had nicknamed Smash. It wasn’t quite the same as the guns, but it still had a destructive force behind it.

He would probably regret this soon enough, but he refused to worry about that in that moment.

Before he could change his mind, Caddy lifted the hammer over his head and slammed it down onto Slaughter. It broke in half with a satisfying crack, but he wasn’t done yet. He repeated the motion a few times, until all that was left was a bunch of scattered pieces.

Repeating this again with Salvage, Caddy’s desk was soon covered in tiny fragments of the weapons that used to mean everything to him. There was a pit in his stomach, but that didn’t prevent relief from washing over him. They were gone.

Pulling out a small trash bag he had brought, Caddy swept the remnants of Slaughter and Salvage in and dropped the few remaining bullets he had previously removed in as well. Soon, there was no evidence of what had just happened left in the Hidden Block room.

With a smile on his face, Caddy tied the trash bag shut and walked out of the classroom. He would make his way over to Higanbana and dispose of the bag there, just to make sure no one dug through it and was able to trace it back to him.

Now, he would just play games without worrying about what would happen to them when he was done with them.


	21. Hidden Block's Route

Hana leaned back in her chair, pulling out her phone. For once, the Hidden Block room was relatively quiet, so she figured she would take the chance to distract herself from the usual chaos.

She unlocked her phone and habitually tapped on the icon for Dumbidoom’s Revenge. The loading screen popped up, and as she stared at the familiar king, Hana was struck by a realization.

“Hey, what am I going to do about the tournament now?” She asked no one in particular.

“What do you mean?” Jeff responded, glancing up at her from his arm wrestling match with Luke.

“Well, originally I was going to play Dumbidoom, but…” Hana trailed off, her gaze sliding to Ian.

Ian caught her gaze and smiled. “You could always take Caddy’s place in the tag-team beat ‘em up.” He cupped a hand around his mouth and leaned forward. “If you ask me, he’s their weakest member,” he stage-whispered.

“Hey, I heard that!” Caddy yelled, tossing his eraser at Ian.

“I think you were supposed to,” Wallid reasoned, giving Caddy a concerned look.

“I’m keeping this, by the way,” Ian said, picking the eraser up from where it had fallen and placing it in his pocket. Caddy just stuck out his tongue.

“You could always just play the game for Normal Boots,” Luke pointed out, his voice strained from his battle with Jeff. It had been a few minutes, and neither side had given in yet.

“Traitor!” Jimmy exploded, startling everyone. He’d seemed like he was asleep under his pile of blankets.

“Not if she purposefully throws the match.” Ian wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully at Hana.

“You just want me to do that because you can’t beat me otherwise,” Hana challenged.

“Oh, really? You think so? Why don’t we test that theory?” Ian suggested, already pulling his phone out of his pocket.

Hana agreed and they set up a quick match. It was close; both of them were piling useless blocks onto their opponent as quickly as they were being cleared.

“Why don’t you take my place against Shane?” Jeff’s voice came from much closer than Hana was expecting. She yelped and dropped her phone, effectively forfeiting the match.

Hana whirled around and pointed an accusatory finger at Jeff. “You distracted me! When did you even finish your arm-wrestling match?”

“Just now. I won, in case you were wondering.” Jeff winked at her and flexed his arm.

“Only because I was getting bored and gave in,” Luke huffed.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Jeff shot a grin at Luke, ignoring the glare he received in return. “But seriously. Why not take my place? I still have the speed-run against Jirard, so it’s not like I would be completely out of the tournament,” Jeff explained as he turned back to Hana.

Hana leaned back, pondering. She did really like that racing game, and she wasn’t half bad at it either. Not to mention Jeff was probably pretty overwhelmed with worrying over the tournament, the election, and just general school work.

She also wouldn’t mind sticking it to Shane, who had already shown himself to dislike her.

“If you think I’m up for it, then sure!” Hana smiled brightly at Jeff, who returned it in full.

“Of course! You’ll be great!”

A murmur of agreement rose from the rest of the club, causing a blush to grace Hana’s cheeks. She still wasn’t used to how welcoming Hidden Block was. She glanced demurely at the floor, eyes landing on her previously dropped phone. She leaned down and picked it up, glaring at the loss screen and ignoring Ian brandishing the win on his phone.

“Now that we’ve settled that,” Hana stared straight into Ian’s eyes, a fire burning in her own. “How about we play for real?”

This time, she destroyed him.


	22. Ships

Paul had made a mistake. 

He had figured a trip to the mall would be a fun little excursion. Now that Caddy and Ian had finally gotten together, everyone in both Normal Boots and Hidden Block was dating someone. Paul had thought it would be a good idea for everyone to have some fun with their partners. 

But it hadn't taken long for everyone to split apart.

PBG had dragged Hana over to an arcade, excitedly pointing out some game the two had probably played when they were kids. Hana had in turn gripped Mai's hand, and the trio disappeared into the flashing lights and obnoxious sounds.

Jirard had found a game store that had some old games in it and pulled a begrudging Shane inside. Although, as soon as Jirard looked away, a smile began to tug at Shane’s lips. 

Jeff had passed by a concert hall and lit up at the music floating out. He and an equally ecstatic Luke had immediately walked in, both chattering about what they were hearing. Jeff had never been very interested in music, but as soon as he had started dating Luke, he had worked hard to learn as much as he could so that the two could hold a good conversation about it.

Jimmy and Wallid had disappeared almost immediately. Paul wasn’t even sure where he had gone, although he had a feeling they had gone into the movie theater to watch some new animated movie.

Caddy and Ian had been so focused on arguing with each other that they hadn’t even been paying attention to where they were going. They had disappeared into a nearby coat store, despite the fact that it was the middle of summer, and Paul hadn’t seen them since.

And so Paul was stuck with his two idiot boyfriends who continually wanted to one-up each other.

“Hey Paul, do you want that dog plush?” Josh asked, pointing at a nearby claw machine in the middle of the walkway. “I’ll get it for you!”

“What? No way! Paul is too cool for a stuffed animal,” Nick interjected with a sneer. “What he wants is that outfit.” Paul followed Nick’s finger to a nearby display dummy wearing all black clothes.

“Really guys, I don’t want either of those things,” Paul protested, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. The two were glaring at each other, and it wasn’t long before they had run off to get those gifts whether Paul wanted them or not.

Still, Paul couldn’t help but smile as Josh and Nick ran around the mall, picking up random things they thought he would like. He was definitely going to have too much stuff soon enough, but at least he knew he was cared for.

  
Those two may have been idiots, but they were _ his _ idiots.


	23. Coffee Shop AU

Ian gave the cup in his hand a bored look. Sometimes people gave some interesting or creative fake names, but this was one he had seen many times. It had already been old the second time someone had used it.

“Voldemort?” He called, sweeping his gaze across the shop.

There was some scattered laughter from the patrons, but no one seemed to making a move to grab their drink. Ian opened his mouth, about to call the name again, when a man about his age stood and sauntered to the counter.

“You didn’t do it right,” ‘Voldemort’ complained.

“I’m sorry?” Ian asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Come on, you’re supposed to say ‘He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’. Everyone knows that!” The man whined, looking genuinely distressed.

“Well, I’m sorry, Mr. Must-Not-Be-Named, but I just read the name on the cup,” Ian explained. He could honestly get in trouble if he said anything other than what was actually written.

Although it was kind of cute just how upset the guy seemed to be over this.

“Caddy, actually,” he replied.

Ian blinked. “What?”

“My name is Caddy,” he clarified with a chuckle.

“Oh, so you lied then?” Ian teased.

“What, did you think that was actually my name?” Caddy fired back.

Ian began to giggle, but his enjoyment was cut short as he caught sight of his boss out of the corner of his eye. He quickly shoved the drink into Caddy’s hand, trying to ignore his rising heart rate. He was not in the mood to get scolded, especially not when a customer was standing right there.

Especially considering this particular customer seemed to be fanning a flame within Ian he thought had died long ago.

Caddy seemed bewildered by the sudden shift in tone, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he dug into his pockets and pulled out a wad of cash, pressing a 20 dollar bill into Ian’s hand. Ian opened his mouth to protest, considering the drink was less that $5, but Caddy waved his hand.

“You deserve it. Also, there’s a little message on there for you.” Caddy winked at him, then walked out the door with the same self-assurance he had approached with.

As Ian unfolded the bill to drop it in the tip jar, a little business card fell out and landed on the counter. It was for some business he had never heard of, with the name  **James Caddick** written in bold letters across the top. Underneath that, there was a hastily scribbled message.

_ You caught my eye as soon as I walked in. Call me? _

Ian smiled quietly to himself as he slipped the card into his pocket. Maybe today wasn’t quite so bad.


	24. Merfolk AU

Jirard hated the beach.

He hated the noise, he hated the quality of the water, he hated the _ humans_. Even thinking about those creatures set his teeth on edge. They were the most inconsiderate creatures Jirard had ever had the misfortune of encountering.

And yet, Jirard found himself visiting various beaches more and more often. It was always nerve wracking, knowing he could very well be killed if one of those humans saw him, but he did it anyway.

It was worth it if he could see Shane smile.

Currently, the moon shone in the middle of the sky, providing Jirard all the light he needed. It was a beautiful night, with no clouds to cover the twinkling stars, but he didn't let himself get distracted. He had a mission.

After a quick survey of the land to make sure it was empty, Jirard swam as close as he could without completely leaving the water. He could breathe air for a limited time if he really needed to, but it was always better to not limit his movement unless he had to.

There wasn't much on this particular beach, but Jirard did see one thing that would suffice. It was one of those weird cloths humans liked to lay on. This one was a bright pink, with some strange patterns in other light colors.

Jirard quickly yanked it from the sand and sank back into the water, eager to get away. He never stayed for long if he could avoid it.

Clutching his prize to his chest, Jirard swam back to the small cave he called home with as much strength as he could muster. He could already feel his tail cramping before he even got close, but he didn't care.

He didn't want to be away from Shane for very long.

"I'm back," Jirard called before entering the cave. The same sight he had become too familiar greeted him as he slowly swam inside.

Shane stared at him with bleary eyes, probably having just been woken by Jirard's voice. His head was nestled against another cloth, and his hands clutched a chain from which hung a multicolored stone. There were other trinkets scattered around as well, all collected during Jirard's nightly adventures.

Jirard tried to ignore just how yellow and pale Shane's once bright-green tail had become.

Swimming closer, Jirard gently placed his hand on Shane's cheek, holding out the pink cloth. "I got you something else," Jirard explained with a tight smile.

Shane reached out and grabbed the cloth, wrapping it in a weak hug. "Thanks, I love it," he murmured, eyes already beginning to droop again.

Jirard slowly pulled the chain from Shane's fingers before it got tangled up. Shane tried to complain, but all that came out was a small grumble. Jirard just sighed and hung the chain from one of the small fins on Shane's tail.

"I'm gonna go catch some food. I'll be right back, okay?" Jirard ran his fingers along Shane's arm in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. 

Shane let out a soft moan, which Jirard took to be a response. With one last look at Shane's motionless figure, Jirard swam out again to find some fish to eat.

He had no idea how much longer Shane would last, but Jirard would take care of him until the last of the color had left his once-gorgeous scales.


	25. Soulmate AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I thought of this a while ago and wrote this chapter then, but I couldn’t really think of a plot or anything for it. I figured I may as well put it here before it gets lost for good. Basically, everyone is born with the name of their soulmate(s) written on their wrist. When they find their soulmate(s), the writing fades until it looks like scar tissue.

He took a deep breath, working up his courage. Mai was sitting at the Hidden Block table today, and Hana was grateful for this show of support. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the Hidden Block crew - the guys were great! This was just a deeply personal thing, and he wasn’t sure how ready he was for it to be out in the open.

Well, may as well get it over with. “H-hey guys?” Hana ventured, wincing at the tremble in his voice. “I have something I want to tell you.”

Conversation halted around the table, and eventually of all the guys were watching him. Hana bit his lip, feeling a bit awkward. He still hated being the center of attention, no matter how often it happened.

“What’s up?” Jeff prompted, seeming to sense Hana’s hesitance. Hana glanced over at the hamster, who was giving him a warm smile. That cheered Hana a bit. He could do this.

“I, uh, I’m not quite sure how to say this, so I’ll just get to the point.” Well, no turning back now. “I… I think I’m a guy.”

There it was, out in the open now. The table was silent as everyone processed what had just been stated. Hana turned his gaze down to his lap, deciding he didn’t really want to look at anyone at that moment.

“Well, is anyone gonna say anything?” Mai burst out, seeming annoyed at the lack of response. If Hana had been grateful for Mai’s presence before, he definitely felt indebted to her now. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could have taken the dragging silence.

“So… you’re trans?” Jimmy asked. Hana looked up, a bit startled by the calm question. Jimmy seemed to be staring into Hana’s soul, a look of quiet understanding in his kind brown eyes.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Hana hadn’t really thought about labels, but he supposed ‘trans’ was pretty accurate to the way he felt. It was nice, actually, realizing he had a word to describe exactly the way he felt. “That sounds about right.”

It was quiet for a couple more seconds, before the entire table erupted into chaos.

“That’s great!”

“I’m so happy for you!”

“I’m glad you’ve figured that out, man.”

Et cetera.

Hana let these words flow over him, basking in their support. He’d never felt so understood than in that moment. His fears were alleviated, and he let a grin slowly spread across his face. “Thanks guys. I appreciate all of you so much.”

And then he was crying. He wasn’t sure when the tears had appeared, but now they were spilling over, an unstoppable force of emotion. Mai grabbed Hana’s hand, giving him a concerned look. Hana just shook his head and smiled, not trusting his voice in that moment.

Eventually, the tears slowed, and he was able to breathe normally again. “Sorry about that…” He murmured, suddenly embarrassed. 

“Don’t worry about it, dude. Being accepted for who you are is an amazing feeling.” Ian was giving Hana an understanding smile, the kind that said he knew exactly what Hana was feeling.

“If you want to change dorms, you can stay in my room! I don’t have a roommate right now, and I wouldn’t mind you staying with me,” Luke offered with a wink.

Hana laughed, unsure of whether the offer was sincere or not. “Thanks Luke, but I think I’ll stay where I am. I’m not quite sure how kindly the administration would take to this.” Asagao’s administration wasn’t exactly the most caring, and he wasn’t sure he was willing to share his secret with strangers like that just yet. “Besides, I can’t leave Mai all alone! What would she do without me?”

Mai shot him a mock glare, an offended look on her face. “Is that your excuse? I think you’re the one who would be lost without me.”

Hana stuck his tongue out at his best friend, not willing to argue the point any more. Now that that was over, things gradually returned to normal around the table. Caddy and Ian started bickering, Jimmy and Wallid continued snuggling, Jeff and Luke talked about whatever happened to pop into their minds.

Hana shifted and laid his head on Mai’s shoulder, suddenly feeling exhausted. He hadn’t noticed just how nervous he was until it was all over. Mai patted Hana’s head, smiling down at her best friend. He smiled back up at her, appreciating how supportive Mai had been through everything. What had he ever done to deserve a friend like her?

As lunch came close to ending, Jeff jerked his head up and looked at Hana, as if he’d had a sudden realization. “Hey, Hana?”

Hana lifted his head off Mai’s shoulder, locking eyes with Jeff. “Yeah?”

Jeff hesitated, as if struggling for the right words. “Is… is there something else you’d like to go by?” Hana blinked, and, realizing that may not have come out right, Jeff began rambling. “I mean, your name is kind of feminine, and I know some people like to change their name, so I thought-” he cut himself off when Luke elbowed him in the side.

Hana sat back, pondering the question. It was true, his current name wasn’t really the most validating. But a new name? That wasn’t something he’d thought about yet.

It took him a second, but warmth blossomed in his chest as he came to a realization. He turned his wrist over, looking at the writing that had haunted him for so long. Sure enough, the harsh black had faded, and he could barely make out the name.

He smiled, turning his attention back to the Hidden Block table. “Actually, yes. From now on, I’d like to go by the name Hideki.”

Caddy let out a laugh, a sound filled with warmth and love. “Welcome to Hidden Block, Hideki!” He stood up and pulled Hideki out of his seat, wrapping him in a hug. Soon, the rest of the table stood as well, joining together in a solid mass of love.

It had taken him a long time, but Hideki had finally figured out how to love himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Self love is important, y'all


	26. Fantasy AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW uhhhhh skin books and implied death

Luke brushed his hand against the low-hanging branch, smiling at the images that floated past his vision. Plants always had such simple stories: sprout, grow, reproduce. Sometimes Luke wished he could trade places with one.

But that wasn't what Luke needed to be worrying about. The castle was just up ahead; he needed to be preparing for his visit with the wizard, not focusing on fantasies he would never actually go through with.

Taking in a pinched breath, Luke rapped his knuckles against the door that loomed before him. He took a quick note of the ghostly images of others who had gone through the same door. Many seemed to have entered, but very few had left. 

That wasn't very promising. 

Though he didn't have very long to worry about that. Only a few seconds after Luke had knocked, the doors swung inward with a menacing creak. Taking one last stock of his surroundings, he took a few tentative steps inside. 

As soon as Luke entered, the doors swung themselves back shut, plunging him in darkness. 

Before Luke could be too concerned, a trail of candles lit themselves in front of him, slowly illuminating the hall to reveal a figure at the end. With a flourish, the figure tossed his dark cloak off and floated forward, drifting through the air until he was only a few feet away.

“Welcome, Luke,” a deep voice boomed from seemingly everywhere. “I have been expecting you. I hope you enjoy my castle.” The figure held out a hand. “You may call me Jeff.”

Luke hesitantly grabbed the hand, giving it a firm shake in the hopes of masking his trembling. He had hoped to gain some more information about the wizard’s past, but his magic only worked with what he was directly contacting. Jeff (if that really was his name) was wearing thick gloves, and the only bit of skin showing was on his face. Luke was hardly about to sensually touch such a powerful figure like that, so he instead just blinked away the images of the glove being sewn out of his vision.

Once the battle of wills was over and the two had dropped each other’s hands, Jeff spun dramatically and began to float farther into the castle. Luke didn’t understand why the wizard insisted on gliding everywhere when he could just walk, but he tried not to dwell on it. Most individuals with that much power tended to overuse it, whether for intimidation or to show off, and the one standing (or floating) in front of him was no different.

Jeff made a sharp turn down a small hallway, leading the way into a room filled with tall bookshelves. Luke idly ran his fingers along the books that lined the shelves, hoping their simple pasts would help distract him.

It worked, for a time. Luke lost himself in the binding of leather, the scratch of ink on paper. He had nearly calmed down when he brushed against a strange texture and felt his heart drop.

That was a face. A  _ human _ face. At first smiling, then horrified, then dripping with blood.

This book had been bound by human skin.

Luke tore his hand away, hoping Jeff didn’t notice. But as he blinked away the last of the horrifying story playing out in his vision, he found himself staring directly into Jeff’s eyes.

"I have a feeling this is the perfect place for you," the wizard practically purred, a wicked smile adorning his lips. 

Before Luke could even take a step, Jeff lifted his hand, causing the bookshelves to tremble. Luke lifted his arms in a feeble attempt to protect himself, but it was pointless. The wood split with a loud crack and closed in around him, until the only thing not encased was his head. Luke strained against his cage, but his chest was already beginning to burn from the lack of air and he could feel his strength seeping out of his body. 

Jeff leaned forward, tracing a gloved finger along Luke's jaw. Luke tried to pull away, but there was nowhere he could go. As his vision faded, the last thing he heard was a promise from the wizard. 

"You'll fit right in."


	27. Superhero AU

Shane couldn’t do this anymore.

He had been a hero for years now, the only thing that stood in the way of evil forces trying to corrupt the world. It was a thankless job, really. Shane would show up somewhere, fight back the baddie of the day, and have to move on to the next target before the ones he was saving even figured out who he was.

Most days, Shane didn’t mind it. It was pretty refreshing, knowing the strength he possessed. Very few had any guard against an assault on the mind, so his psychic powers were very effective at subduing most threats. He usually enjoyed it, feeling the fear radiating from his enemies and the gratefulness from those he was protecting.

But it wasn’t enough.

Sometimes, on his darkest days, Shane let terrible thoughts gnaw at his insides. 

_ The world doesn’t deserve me. _

_ I shouldn’t even bother. _

_ No one cares about me anyways. _

All Shane was to anyone was a number, just another super that protected those who couldn’t protect themselves.

He deserved more.

But he tried not to let these thoughts hang around for too long. They were just intrusive thoughts, nothing Shane should be getting too wrapped up in.

They didn’t reflect his true feelings.

They did  _ not  _ reflect his true feelings.

They did.

He was sitting on a bench in a mall, his intuition telling him something was going to happen soon. Shane swept his focus across the many patrons, trying to find the danger, but all he could pick out were the terrible thoughts of nearly every person.

Everyone had an awful secret. Some simply told harmless white lies, some made drastic mistakes and refused to rectify them, some were completely malicious and manipulative.

No matter what, no one was innocent.

It was enough to set Shane’s blood boiling.

These people took those like him for granted. They went about their lives, secure in the knowledge that if something less than optimal were to occur, some superhero would swoop in and save the day.

They didn’t care one bit about the people behind the mask.

They needed to learn a lesson.

Shane’s intuition had been right. There was a threat.

It was him.

He began to draw in the energy of every single living thing in the vicinity. Shane knew he wouldn’t be able to control that much power, but he didn’t care.

They deserved it.

Throwing his hands to the heavens, Shane felt a maniacal laugh burst from his lips. He was enjoying this. His strength, their fear… It was too perfect. His body was bursting with energy, almost literally. He likely wouldn’t survive this, but he would take down many of the ungrateful souls around him, and that was enough.

The psychic shockwave was felt throughout the entire world.


	28. Hunger Games AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW poison suicide

It was never meant to be.

They were from different districts. Even if somehow they both survived to the end, one of them would have to kill the other. They were rivals, enemies.

But that didn’t stop them from trying.

If Jeff had kept count right, there was only one other person left alive. And he didn’t recall that particular face, so that must mean…

“Jeff!” The voice came from behind him. Jeff turned around, feeling his heart start to race as he laid eyes upon the owner of the voice.

“Austin!” Saying the name out loud brought some feeling back into his body, and he broke out into a sprint.

Austin did the same, and they met in the middle, crashing into each other and landing on the ground in a tangle of limbs. Jeff nestled his head into Austin’s shoulder and let out a strangled noise, unsure whether he wanted to laugh or cry. “I can’t believe you’re alive.”

“We both are,” Austin murmured, smoothing Jeff’s hair. “Don’t sell yourself short, you’ve been through as much as I have.”

Jeff giggled, leaning back to look Austin directly in the eye. Before he knew it, they had both leaned in, their lips meeting in a moment of pure ecstasy.

It wasn’t long until Jeff felt a tongue pushing against his lips, which he parted eagerly. He knew they were being watched, considering they were the only two contestants left, but he didn’t care. He was too wrapped up in the _ existence _ of Austin.

That is, until he registered the strange taste on his tongue. Pulling away, Jeff gave Austin a confused look. Austin merely chuckled, sticking out his tongue.

It was a dark shade of purple, a color Jeff had gotten too familiar with. He had looted multiple bodies whose tongues had been stained that exact color, victims of a deadly berry that seemed to only grow in the arena.

“Why?” That was all Jeff was able to get past the lump in his throat.

“I’m sorry, Jeff. I knew neither of us would be able to live with ourselves without the other.” Austin glanced away, a pained smile gracing his face. “Now, we won’t have to. Don’t worry, it will be over soon.”

Come to think of it, Jeff’s tongue was already beginning to feel fuzzy. In fact, he could barely feel the tears running down his face, only aware of them because Austin gently wiped them off with the pads of his thumbs.

“Well,” Jeff choked out with a sob, “at least we’ll go out together.”

Austin nodded, and Jeff could tell his movements were already getting weaker. Jeff desperately blinked his eyes, trying to keep them open to keep Austin’s face in view for as long as possible.

He had always wanted to defy the Capitol.

But not like this.

He had wanted to die in the arena.

But not like this.

He wanted to be with Austin.

But not like this.

Not like this.

_ Not like this. _

But it didn’t matter now.

Jeff was laying against Austin, the closest he had probably ever been to the love of his life. They were both dying together, ensuring there would be no winner of this year’s Hunger Games. His wishes had all been fulfilled, whether he liked it or not.

Taking in a sharp breath, Jeff frantically committed every last bit of Austin’s features to his memories.

And then, there was darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol how do you write kisses


	29. Urban Fantasy AU

Ian idly waved his hand over the cup of coffee sitting on the counter, imbuing it with the last bits of magic it needed to be truly effective. With a thin, practiced smile, he held it out to the exhausted looking college kid across from him.

“Thanks, Ian! Your drinks work wonders.” The kid - Jeff, one of his regulars - managed to flash him a bright smile despite the dark bags under his eyes.

“You know, I make teas that help you get a restful sleep. You don’t have to rely on the energy potions,” Ian reasoned, fixing Jeff with a concerned look.

Jeff laughed a little too forcefully. “I appreciate it, really, but I don’t have the time. Gotta get all my projects done.”

The concern on Ian’s face only grew deeper, but it went unheeded. Jeff simply lifted the cup to his lips and tipped his head back, downing the entire thing. He then pulled out a wad of cash, slamming both it and his cup onto the counter.

Ian picked up the money and counted it out, although it ended up being unnecessary. As usual. Jeff always prepared the amount he needed beforehand. Perks of having a perfect memory.

“Just because you’re _ so _ smart doesn’t mean you have to overwork yourself.” Ian knew this statement was pointless, he said it every day, but that didn’t mean he would stop trying.

“But that would be no fun!” Jeff explained with a wink.

“Alright. So long as I don’t lose my best customer,” Ian warned.

“Oh, come on. That can’t be true! You’re the only witch for miles! All the rich people must come here,” Jeff insisted.

Ian snorted. “Okay, fine. So long as I don’t lose my _ favorite _ customer.”

Jeff blinked, clearly caught off guard. “I… sure. I’ll do my best.” He flashed another grin, falling back into his suave persona. “Well, I’ve got a class soon, so I should probably get going. See you around!”

“You know where to find me if you need me,” Ian called at Jeff’s receding form.

And then he was alone again. He quickly cleaned the cup with a wave of his fingers and returned it to its place on the wall, then pulled out his phone, beginning to idly scroll. He came across a short video with a cute hamster and smiled, saving it for later. Ian would have to show it to Jeff next time he came in.

It was true. Ian did get his fair share of interesting customers in his little shop.

But none of them would ever compare to Jeff.


	30. Free Space

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hawky did this first so shoutout… I just threw a bunch of characters and ships into a random generator and randomized the order. The words came from the discord, they’re bolded in each of these 3 sentence fics.

Nick slammed his controller down next to him, glaring at the death screen that taunted him. He should have known better than to trust his roommates. He had been playing** Fortnite** for over an hour, and yet he was nowhere near a victory royale.

-

Jirard squeezed Hana’s hand reassuringly as they sat on the plane, about to **fly** to America to stay with Jirard’s family.

“Don’t worry, Hana, they’ll love you!”

Somehow, Hana doubted that, but she still managed to offer a small smile.

-

“-go round and round, all day long~”

“I swear to god, if you sing ‘The Wheels on the **Bus**’ one more time I’m going to murder you.”

Luke just grinned at Jeff and continued singing, even after Jeff leaped up and wrapped his hands around Luke’s throat.

-

Wallid stood and stretched, spreading his wings to cast a large shadow. He barely gave the creatures around him any time to adjust to his sudden appearance before he let out a stream of fire, incinerating the area and ensuring he would have plenty of food for the next while.

Being a **dragon** certainly had its perks.

-

Hana cheered as the** battle** raged. She knew she probably shouldn't have been encouraging the members of Continue, but at this point, she also knew it was pointless to try to stop them. Instead, she sat in the corner of the room to avoid most of the projectiles and simply enjoyed the chaos.

-

Shane felt Hana snuggle into his side as they watched the night sky together.

“What are the **constellations** we’re looking at right now?” Hana asked, waving her hand at the sky, and Shane couldn’t help but feel he had gotten so incredibly lucky to end up with someone with the same amount of passion for knowledge as him.

-

Jeff prostrated himself before the** deities**, hoping the show of piety would aid him. But it didn't matter. His fate had been sealed long ago, and he could already feel his consciousness fading...

-

Luke sat jolt upright, anxiously reaching for the bandages he kept nearby. He was having those** dreams** again, and based on the amount of blood he could feel seeping out of his body, he had a feeling he wouldn't wake from the next one. If only he hadn't found that crown...

-

Wallid shakily brushed his fingers against Jimmy's face. Jimmy had been caught by the** fragility**, the virus or curse or _ whatever _ that was turning people to glass. With a sob, Wallid collapsed to the ground, utterly defeated; there was nothing left in the world for him now.

-

Jeff graced her with a smile, showing off his **pearlescent** teeth. Hana felt she would be blinded by the brightness that he radiated. She knew part of what she felt was simply due to the magic he radiated, but she didn't care; she would do anything for him.

-

Hana sank to her knees, clutching the pieces of the torn ribbon she used to keep in her hair. She had thought things were going to be better, that she had new friends, that Mai would be her best friend forever.

But her curse followed her everywhere, and, once again, she was **broken**.

-

Hana squeezed Ian’s hand, gently pulling his blanket up over his shoulder. He just looked so _ tired_, and Hana was worried about how much longer he would last.

She just hoped she could get him to see his inner **strength** before it was too late.

-

Mai quietly walked through the park, listening intently to the sounds of nature around her. She loved the effects of such calming noises; the numbers, the **letters**, the colors. Sometimes, her synesthesia was overwhelming, but here, it was simply beautiful.

-

Jimmy twisted the metal rod, inhaling sharply as the nerves reconnected all at once. He tested his new leg, grinning to himself as it responded perfectly. He could only rely on himself if he ever wanted to be truly **fixed**, and it seemed that now, with two functioning legs, it was time for another heist.

-

Josh grinned to himself as he finished editing the last of the paper. He knew it was technically** libel**, but he didn't care. _ No one _ messed with his friends and got away with it, not even if they had pink hair.

-

Luke had no idea how he had gotten so lucky as to catch Hana’s attention. He was always the one pushed to the side, forgotten about. But it seemed, for once, his pink-haired girl wasn’t the only one who benefited from a bit of serendipity.

-

Caddy gasped, admiring the ribbon of light flowing from Ian’s fingertips. It was like an** aurora**, a beautiful mixture of greens and blues. Lifting his own hand, Caddy summoned a small flame, then grabbed Ian’s hand to create a gorgeous contrast of warm and cool.

-

Shane felt his heart begin to race as he laid eyes upon the source of the light so deep below ground. After years of searching, he had finally found it. The** crystal** of life pulsed a bright blue, beckoning him forward.

-

Austin spun in a circle, the skirt of his bright pink dress flaring out around him. Jeff giggled, enjoying the display. Jeff barely fit into his oversized knight costume, but Austin looked absolutely perfect as a **princess**.

-

Ian and Jeff laid next to each other, enjoying their time on the beach. The scene was **idyllic**, rolling waves, puffy clouds tinted beautiful colors by the setting sun, a slight breeze.

And yet, Ian couldn’t take his eyes off Jeff.

-

Paul lifted his sword high into the air. Nick and Josh followed suit, and the three of them roared a battle cry that was quickly taken up by the crowd behind them.

It was time to start a **revolution**.

-

Ian ran his fingers along the **blade**, admiring the detailed carvings along the metal. It was perfect: just the right length to do damage while also being easily concealed.

Now, it was time to get to work.

-

Ian glanced over at Luke, who was excitedly jabbering about his upcoming album. Something about the **moonlight** made him even more beautiful, even though that seemed impossible. Every day, Ian managed to find something that caused him to fall even more in love with the perfect man he was lucky enough to call his boyfriend. 

-

They each held a crystal (those really cheap ones that can be found at any dollar store), all of a different color. Jeff had the green time stone, Luke had the blue space stone, Ian had the orange soul stone, Caddy had the red reality stone, Jimmy had the purple power stone, and Wallid had the yellow mind stone.

“Together,” Jeff announced, holding his stone aloft, “we are the **Infinity** Block.”

-

Hana snuggled into PBG’s side, and the two listened curiously to the **melody** floating through the window. It was peaceful, calming.

Little did they know, it was the last thing either of them would ever hear.

-

Paul took a delicate bite of the small slice of cake. It was incredibly **saccharine**, almost excessively so, but he didn’t care. 

It was perfect for his final meal.

-

PBG rolled over in his bed, letting out a groan. He hated this emptiness, this** silence**.

He hated being the only one still alive. 

-

Shane forced his way back into the building, battling his way through the heat and **smoke**. He could hear the firefighters yelling at him to come back, but he heeded them no mind. Jirard was still inside, and Shane was going to get to him or die trying.

-

Mai bounced up and down excitedly as Hana uncertainly entered the room. “You look absolutely **sublime**!”

Hana only blushed in response, failing to ignore just how much more gorgeous Mai was than Hana could ever be.

-

Jirard stared forlornly at his translucent hands. It wouldn’t be long before the process was complete, and then he would be little more than an **apparition**, a nuisance no one knew or cared about.

He only wished he could have said goodbye to his friends.

-

Caddy threw the guns as far as he could into the forest. He no longer felt comfortable keeping them now that someone outside of Hidden Block knew about them. It wasn't easy, but it was a** sacrifice** he was willing to make to stay with his friends.

-


	31. Other People's AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This AU was made by the lovely dreams_and_doe_eyes. Basically, Austin has a tattoo parlor and Jeff has a flower boutique and it’s such a soft AU I love it so much

Jeff held the tattoo machine uncertainly, giving Austin a concerned look. He had learned a long time ago not to refer to it as a tattoo _ gun_, since Austin had given him a 10 minute lecture the first time he made that mistake. However, as he stood there with the thing in his hand, he couldn’t help but think that was _ exactly _ what it resembled - a dangerous weapon he absolutely should not be handling.

“You know, you don’t have to go through with this,” Jeff repeated for probably the fifth time that day. He still wasn’t entirely sure what had brought this idea to Austin’s head in the first place.

“No, it’s fine,” Austin replied, again for the fifth time that day. “I trust you.” He flashed a bright smile that Jeff felt he definitely didn’t deserve.

Jeff ran his free hand through his hair as he scrutinized the machine. “There’s black ink in this, right?”

Austin nodded a little too vigorously. “Yep! It’s all ready for you.”

“Listen, are you completely sure about this?” Jeff sighed, ignoring the flash of annoyance that crossed Austin’s face at being asked this once again. “It’s just... I know you don’t like needles, and I feel like my inexperience will just make this hurt more.”

Austin grinned again, and briefly Jeff wondered if he would go blind from the sunshine Austin radiated. “That’s why you’re doing something small, so it won’t hurt for as long!”

Jeff shook his head, although he could feel his lips curving up on their own. He was tempted to mention something about the fact that the hand was a painful place to get a tattoo, but he knew it was pointless. Austin had made up his mind; nothing Jeff said would change that.

“I don’t understand how you’re so positive about everything,” Jeff muttered. Really, he was jealous, but he would never admit that.

“With you by my side, I don’t know how I wouldn’t be!” Austin declared.

Jeff’s eyes snapped up to meet Austin’s gaze. A million things were racing through his head as responses, but he didn’t trust himself to voice any of them. Instead, he gestured to the chair. “Just… sit down.”

Austin offered another smile as he settled into the chair. Jeff rubbed a hand on his chin, trying to calm the blush that had spread across his cheeks. It wouldn’t be good for him to be distracted while he was trying to tattoo someone.

Laying his hand on the table, Austin gave Jeff a meaningful glance. Jeff took the hint, lifting the machine and steeling himself to the task at hand, when something made him hesitate. “Are you sure you want me to do this on your dominant hand?”

Austin gave him a confused look. “Sure, why not?”

“I mean, isn’t that the hand everyone sees the most when you’re giving tattoos?” Jeff bit his lip when Austin still didn’t seem to understand. “I just feel like anything I do won’t give a good impression. Maybe I should work somewhere else?”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” Austin scoffed. “You’ll do great! If anyone doesn’t like what you give me, then they can suck it!”

Jeff chuckled despite himself. “Okay, if you’re sure.” Austin nodded, so Jeff turned the machine on and slowly brought it down to meet the skin.

Austin immediately tensed and sucked in his breath, causing Jeff to panic just a bit and jerk his hand back. “No, keep going! I’ll be fine,” Austin insisted, waving him on with his free hand. Jeff hesitated, but he could see there was already a black mark on Austin’s hand. There was no turning back now.

Jeff finished the outline in what he felt was a short amount of time, despite the fact that he wiped excess ink off more than he probably needed to. Austin was about to lift his hand to admire the new addition to his skin when Jeff grabbed it.

“Wait, I’m not done!” He offered the machine to Austin. “Can you put red ink in this now?”

Austin blinked at him. “Sure, I can, but it would be hard to do so without looking.”

Jeff held up a quick finger. He always had band-aids in his pockets in case someone pricked themselves on a stray thorn (this happened much more often than Jeff would have liked). Digging through his pockets, he found one and pulled it out, showing it off like a trophy.

Austin giggled at the display. Jeff quickly unwrapped it and set it in place over his work. It didn’t cover the entire thing, but it was enough to obscure what exactly he had drawn.

It didn’t take long for Austin to replace the ink in the tattoo machine. Jeff wasn’t even going to pretend to know how it worked. It was much more complex than anything Jeff had at his flower shop, but Austin worked it like it was second nature to him. Soon, though, it was back in Jeff’s hand, ready to resume.

But first, there was a band-aid in the way.

“Fast or slow?” Jeff asked.

Austin winced when he realized what Jeff was referring to. “Do it slow, please.”

Jeff snorted. “Wimp.” But he obliged, slowly peeling the band-aid off.

At least, at first.

It didn’t take long for Jeff to get impatient. Austin was looking away, trying to make sure he didn’t accidentally look at the tattoo, so Jeff took his chance and tore the band-aid off the rest of the way.

“Hey! No fair,” Austin whined, snatching his hand back and nursing it. “I wasn’t looking.”

Jeff snickered, leaning across and tugging Austin’s hand back. “Hey, you should thank me. You’ll be so distracted by your hatred of me that _ this _ won’t hurt.” He punctuated the word ‘this’ by turning the machine back on, continuing the inking process.

“I hate you,” Austin muttered, but it seemed Jeff was right. He wasn’t nearly as tense as before. Maybe that was just because he had gotten used to the feeling, but Jeff liked to think it was his accomplishment.

Jeff finished the last bit of ink and shut the machine off. He wiped the last of the stray ink off Austin’s hand, then sat back and admired his work.

It was a heart, set on the web between Austin’s thumb and forefinger. It was a bit small and maybe a bit misshapen, but Jeff still felt a sense of pride. That was _ his _ creation. _ He _ made that.

“Okay, you can look at it now.” Jeff leaned back and kept his eyes on Austin’s face, waiting to judge his reaction.

Austin lifted his hand and splayed his fingers. Almost instantaneously, he broke into a wide smile that seemed like it would split his face open. He launched himself up and at Jeff, pulling him into an awkward embrace over the table. “I love it so much!” Austin exclaimed.

Jeff let out a small sigh of relief. He hadn’t realized just how much Austin’s opinion mattered to him until that moment. “I’m glad,” Jeff whispered in reply, not trusting his voice to say anything else.

Austin pulled back and lifted his hand again, admiring the little heart. Jeff almost felt embarrassed at the approval, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

“Hey, this means you have to stop by my place sometime and make a bouquet. It’s only fair,” Jeff insisted.

Austin grinned. “Deal.”


End file.
